Damascus says West trying to impose will on Syrian people

Accuses the West of "supporting armed terrorist groups linked to the Al-Nusra Front

Damascus on Tuesday accused the West of trying to impose its will on the Syrian people, after major powers said they would press for a UN resolution to rid Syria of chemical arms.

"The United States, France and Britain have revealed their true objective... Which is to impose their will on the Syrian people," the foreign ministry said.

It meanwhile accused the West of "supporting armed terrorist groups linked to the (Al-Qaeda-allied) Al-Nusra Front", which has joined the rebellion against President Bashar al-Assad.

The foreign ministry statement comes after Washington, London and Paris agreed to press a UN resolution to ensure Assad complies with a US-Russian plan that would see Syria's chemical arsenal destroyed by mid-2014.

After talks in Paris on Monday with his French and British counterparts, US Secretary of State John Kerry said: "If Assad fails to comply with the framework (of the US-Russian plan) we are all agreed that there will be consequences."

The three countries also agreed to step up their assistance to the anti-Assad opposition, which Damascus views as a new obstacle to ending the 30-month Syrian war.

"Claims by the United States and its allies that they want a political solution for the crisis in Syria... contradict their never-ending attempts... At imposing their conditions, and at supporting groups that practice violence and terrorism in Syria," the foreign ministry said.

It also lashed out at a statement by Kerry that Assad had "lost all legitimacy ... To govern his country."

"President Bashar al-Assad is the legitimate president, chosen by the Syrian people, and who will stay as long as the Syrian people want," the foreign ministry statement said.

"President Assad is exercising his functions in conformity with the constitution, which was approved by the Syrian people," it added.

Since an anti-Assad rebellion erupted in March 2011, Damascus has accused the West, Turkey and Gulf countries of conducting what it says is a conspiracy against Syria.